Fate Of A Heart
by Earth Star Demon
Summary: Shepard is the only one who stands between the Reapers and total destruction of all organic races. But before she can began to morn the loss of her comrades and build her team to fight the Reapers she must fight a more personal battle, against her past.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect, ****EA**** and BioWare do. I only own this story! Many people worked very hard on Shepard's story and these characters! I only take credit for this story and my idea's!**

**This takes place after the second game, before Mass Effect 3. Spoilers for those of you who haven't played Mass Effect 2 or don't know some of the returning characters in Mass Effect 3! Enjoy **

Shepard slept hard, the darkness encompassing her. For once the faces of her dead comrades didn't haunt her, perhaps she had finally gotten over their deaths, or maybe it was the man lying beside her, comforting her. The ship whined in protest as a jolt woke her and it only took a moment for her to jump out of bed and pull on her clothing.

"Joker" She cried grabbing her gun and looking to her side where her partner had pulled on his pants and grabbed his gun as well. He was a solider same as her, and his fluid motions portrayed his skill.

"We may have a problem here commander" Joker replied sounding distressed "it seems someone has gotten close to the Normandy without us knowing. They've punched a hole in the cargo hold; you better get down there."

Shepard nodded racing out of her room to the elevator thankful that it opened. "How can someone get this close to the Normandy unless they know our systems?" She asked the man stepping in behind her.

He shrugged "Maybe it's Cerberus?"

Shepard closed her eyes, she was thinking the same and hopping that it wasn't the case, Cerberus was a formidable enemy and she didn't need anyone else dead before they even got the chance to take on the Reapers.

"Stand back" He whispered pulling her close so they were beside the wall. "They're expecting us."

He was right, why hadn't she thought of that? Her mind was still clouded, still grieving. She readied her weapon; it was as much a part of her as her arm or leg. She would be ready regardless of what she found down there, or so she thought.

The doors opened and the sound of rapid gunfire filled her ears. "Shepard!" She heard Grunt cry as she raced out of the elevator and took cover. She looked above the shattered glass and short wall seeing three targets in the cargo hold. "We need to get down there!" she told the two beside her.

"I'm ready whenever you are battle master" Grunt smiled, he was always itching for a fight.

Shepard nodded and they all lunged through the broken glass to the ground below. Thankfully none of the bullets hit them as they fell, landing behind some large crates.

Shepard couldn't help but glance in the direction where coffins had once lain before being sent deep into space. She missed all her lost comrades Ashley, Jacob, Miranda, and Tali. She bit back tears before focusing on her current comrades. _Not one more_ echoed in her mind _not one more_.

She screamed an incomprehensible cry releasing all her pain combined before standing, she fired two shots taking down an Asari before turning her fire on a Krogen.

"Shepard" Her teammates behind her called jumping out behind her, but she didn't even pause as she took a bullet in the left shoulder before taking out the Krogen with an infernal blast. She had no armor, no shields and her shoulder stung as she turned to face the third intruder.

It was too late, the gun was already placed hard against her forehead. The heat from repetitive firing of the weapon burned against her face and she couldn't help but flinch when she heard the heat sink pop into place. This was it, she wasn't going to die, not at the hands of the Reapers or Collectors no she was going to die at the hands of some hired Cerberus gun. She opened her eyes to see the man who was hesitating to kill her.

"Kaidan?" Shepard whispered and she fought to control the tears that burned behind her eyes.

"Siha?" Thane asked moving closer as the gun was pulled back from Shepard's head, though only minutely, she could still feel the heat from the weapon.

Kaidan looked at Thane his eyes taking in his bare muscular chest and Shepard's unruly hair and wrinkled clothing. "You little whore." Kaidan accused his breath was coming quick and short as his hand tightened and loosened against the trigger.

"Kaidan! What the hell is going on here?" An accusing cry came from the back of the room as Garrus came racing in, a small red dot stayed trained on Kaidan's head from his sniper. "What the hell are you doing, this is Shepard!"

"I know who the hell this bitch is;" Kaidan cried "who I don't know is him."

Kaidan's gun moved targeting Thane instead of Shepard. Thane's body seemed to react the second Shepard was no longer the target, dodging two shots before hitting Kaidan square in the face sending him hurling across the room. Thane raced forward twisting his body therefore making a difficult target as Kaidan continued to fire.

"Thane don't hurt him!" Shepard cried seeming to snap out of her trance.

Thane froze pulling back just before he would have struck Kaidan again.

"My body is yours to command Shepard as it always has been" Thane told her turning to face her but keeping his body in between hers and Kaidan's as he walked back "But my soul is begging me to kill him Siha, for holding a gun to your head, for loving you like I do and allowing his heart to change so quickly. He doesn't know what the value of life or love is."

"I do love you Thane." Shepard admitted allowing him to take her arm and lead her out of the room.

"Restrain him." Thane called back to Garrus and Grunt as he led Shepard toward the elevator. They would deal with Shepard's past later she was sure. Maybe she could reason with Kaidan, get him to once again join her fight against the reapers. Of course there would be the constant fight to keep the others from killing him, especially if he ever tried something like the little stunt he just pulled again. The elevator seemed to take forever and Shepard could see the worry in Thane's deep dark eyes.

"You've lost a lot of blood." Thane told her, he was always straight forward. Shepard loved that about him. In a world where anyone else would have been reassuring telling her that it would be fine it was refreshing to hear the truth. They both knew that any second of time was precious and not worth the lies.

Shepard leaned against the wall of the elevator for balance and knew it would be difficult to walk, even around the corner to medical facility. Thane reached over and lifted her effortlessly into his arms and she was too weak to protest as she normally would have. Then the elevator stopped and a determined look crossed Thane's face.

"Shepard's been shot," Thane cried as he carried her around the corner and into the medical facility. Doctor Chakwas was up and moving pulling medical equipment up to Shepard's bed as Thane gently lay her down. Her vision blurred and darkness started to close in. "I love you too Siha" Thane told her squeezing her hand. The darkness pulled her down and this time the faces were there, haunting her again.


End file.
